Missouri State University
History Blog

History Day competition encourages civic engagement

In February, the department of history welcomed more than 120 junior high and high school students to the campus of Missouri State University for the regional National History Day competition. Students presented their projects for judging based on the year’s theme: “Debate and Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences.”

Graduate students in the department of history helped organize and judge the contest. The top three finalists from each category advanced to the state competition held on April 9 at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

We want to congratulate those students from District 7 for placing in the state competition. Students and groups with a top-three finish qualify for the national contest in College Park, Md. in June:

  • Junior Group Web Site (first place)
    “The Cuban Missile Crisis: Nuclear Disaster Averted” by Sasidhar Karuparti, Gabriel Ting and Alexander Baker from the Central High School Scholars Program, Springfield
  • Junior Individual Performance (fourth place)
    “John Ross: Chief of Diplomacy” by Noah Comstock, Strafford Middle School
  • Junior Group Performance (first place)
    “Women’s Rights Debate: The Petticoat Rebellion” by Amanda Morrison and Quinlan Pulleyking from the Central High School Scholars Program, Springfield
  • Junior Group Documentary (fifth pace)
    “Peace in Our Time: Neville Chamber and Appeasement” by Abby Conner and Anneliese Kerr from the Central High School Scholars Program, Springfield
  • Senior Historical Paper (sixth place)
    “The Entente Cordiale” by Ellen Eisenhour from Central High School, Springfield
  • Senior Individual Web Site (fourth place)
    “Standoff between CSA and FBI ends Peacefully” by Ty Vestal from Hillcrest Hisgh School, Springfield
  • Senior Group Documentary (second place)
    “We Shall Overcome: Brown v. Board of Education” by Yoonji Kim and Valerie Quirk from Central High School, Springfield

The 2012 theme for National History Day is “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.”

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History students, faculty contribute to exhibit on viticulturist

During the spring semester, history students contributed to the creation of an environmental history exhibit on Hermann Jaegar, a noted viticulturist who helped save European vineyards from the phylloxera louse in the 1800s.

Under the direction of Dr. Bethany Walker and Dr. Bela Boda, students in Phi Alpha Theta assisted with the archival research for the exhibit. They searched for and organized articles, photographs, maps and letters that highlighted Jaegar’s life in Missouri and as a farmer. According to Dr. Walker, the students were able to use their skills as historians and in foreign language, specifically German, to provide the historical context for Jaegar’s accomplishments.

The resulting exhibit, which is half history and half plant science, will be on display at the Discovery Center in Springfield. Students also served as tour guides during the exhibit’s opening on April 8. They were available to answer questions regarding Jaegar’s life and their research.

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